I have real concerns about a troop increase in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, it sounds to me like another Vietnam. A new president fears looking soft on defense policies because of constant criticism. So he decides that we need to send in more troops to prove that Democrats aren’t soft on defense policy. In this case it’s Obama who is being second-guessed by former Vice President Dick Cheney and the Republicans in Congress. In Vietnam it was Lyndon Johnson who was being criticized by Barry Goldwater and the Republicans.

In both cases we are fighting a movement which is instituted by the native population. In this case it’s the Taliban; in Vietnam it was the Viet Cong and Viet Minh. You can’t win these wars because they know they can outlast you simply because they live there and fight based on guerilla strategy, not all-out war. They know that we will run out of money before they run out of will. I believe we ought to train Afghan troops and police and take the bulk of our forces home.

– John Horvath, Hawthorne

LAUSD should be dissolved

As Superintendent Ramon Cortines scrambles around trying to figure how he will cut costs to counter a $495 million deficit for the 2010-11 school year, it becomes obvious that Mayor Villaraigosa, school board members, and Cortines need to face the reality that the Los Angeles Unified School District needs to be dissolved.

Instead of cutting in half the eight local district offices for a $12 million savings, Cortines should begin moving them forward to self-sustenance by dramatically reducing the mega downtown LAUSD office. It has tried in the past to minister to the needs of students in 885 schools, only to fail.

We Californians pay for public education to educate our children.

That is the entirety of what we should support. Every decision should be made with the one objective of what is necessary to assure that every child is being educated in the best manner possible. As a veteran public school teacher, I have learned that what makes or breaks a class in academic success is how the teacher manages the class.

Accordingly, when a school or district is failing, one must first look at how it was managed and how the money has been spent. We are already aware that LAUSD has had two major debacles costing the taxpayers $2 billion for the mismanaging of a high school (Belmont) and a payroll system.

Our legislators blame everyone else but their legislature for dramatic cuts in education, but they are the ones who created new government programs that brought in no income to the base.

It is time to establish the eight districts and dissolve LAUSD. The behemoth has fallen to its knees in failure; let’s put it out of its misery.

– Lydia Gutierrez

Candidate for state superintendent

of public instruction

San Pedro

Hahn’s record disqualifies her

In reaction to James Braslow’s letter to the editor (“Hahn lacks what state needs,” Nov. 17), the true reasons Janice Hahn should not be lieutenant governor or even city councilwoman is her record. Hahn is loosely qualified now and was inadequately qualified in 2001 when she coattailed on her brother’s mayoral race and her father’s name.

Fast forward to 2009 and it is not Hahn’s qualifications that make her the wrong choice: It is her failed leadership and political practices.

When you remain silent and allow the police chief to take 40 cops out of your area during a time when the city adds 1,000 cops to the force because you need a political endorsement, when you allow Eastview Little League to stay in limbo for five years then displace these children to play in an area you yourself have called “the diesel death zone,” when you divide a community on Ponte Vista because you fear any decision would hurt you politically and hope to delay a decision until you are out of office, when you blatantly lie to your community about a proposition (Proposition A) you sponsor to help yourself during a time you are under investigation for misusing gang prevention funds, when you cannot develop the waterfront because you are at odds with the port and the mayor as a political strategy, when you are compromised by donors from outside your district because they account for 80 percent of the money you raise, when your hometown has added more tattoo parlors than schools, bakeries, libraries and cops combined during your time in office, you do not deserve the community’s support or deserve to be its representative.

These are the reasons to oppose Janice Hahn.Just think what we could have accomplished in the past 8<MD+,%30,%55,%70>1/<MD-,%0,%55,%70>2 years if Janice had been committed to our future instead of hers.

– Jane Barton

San Pedro

Who is record-setting sailor?

I read the article Nov. 29 about Abigail Sunderland hoping to be the youngest person to sail solo around the world. I’m confused about this, as I thought the youngest person to sail solo around the world was Robin Lee Graham, who sailed the Dove in 1965. He wrote a book called “Dove” and a movie was made about his voyage, also called “The Dove,” in 1974. His sailboat was displayed at the theater. Also, National Geographic chronicled his voyage. He was 16 when he began his voyage from the Long Beach area.

Sorry, but I think Abigail’s parents are nuts for letting her sail alone in this dangerous world. They should watch the movie “Taken.” How can she possibly protect herself from those who might wish her harm?

– Marsha Jones

Salinas

Editor’s note: Robin Lee Graham did leave San Pedro to sail around the world as a 16-year-old in 1965, but he was 21 when he completed his trip. Abigail’s brother, Zac Sunderland, became the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe when he finished his trip this past July, before his 18th birthday. But he didn’t hold the record long; British teenager Mike Perham currently holds it.

Join the Conversation

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com.